Perseverance

Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen... (Quote -Oswald Chambers)

update

yeah, despite our silence Flavio and I are still alive and well, actually doing great in our new home and new lifestyle!
after leaving family and friends back in Naples last November 2006, we had a very nice holiday time in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where I got to know Flavio’s immediate and extended (… very extended-to the 2nd generation) family. It was such a blessed time, we had so much fun!
the first week was actually chilly and rainy, (and I had a doubt about the tropical sun) but after that the sun broke out and we often went swimming and sunbathing to the beautiful white sand beaches. Brazil is such a beautiful country! I have to admit that. I never really told Flavio, I let him think… you know, just another country added to the list of those visited… But indeed, Brazil is beautiful… and the people!

on our way back we had the privilege to see a very good friend, Mr Kevin Smith, the teacher. It was only half a morning, between two flights, but it was fun and we could experience the real greasy American fast food, probably not very healthy but testing really nice.

it’s been already two months now we are here in Scotland, beautiful and cold cold, Edinburgh.
The first weeks felt like holidays, probably because of the Christmas season and the time spent with Flavio’s family in Knaresborough, Yorkshire. Back to Edinburgh at the end of the year, it was strange and I wouldn’t feel ‘home’. But as we rearranged the sofas in our cosy flat, slowly but surely we settled down.
friends here are still not many.
we met a lady by chance at the public library over a month ago and she has became a lovely friend since. Her name is Elaine; she’s got some brokenness in her life and I really hope one day soon I will be able to lead her to the Source of restoration.
we have found a very nice church to attend to and a lovely cell group to be part of.
our church is really cool, contemporary style, a lot of young folk and lots of opportunities to be involved.

have a look if you want www.destinychurchedinburgh.com

friend-wise, we are also trying to build deeper relationships with our fellow cell group members, but it requires time investing, and time is a non renewable resource. We are all very busy and so we try to balance our time in the best way.
at times I felt (and still do) lonely, and as I was sharing this over the Skype with one of my best friends, Anita Haas, ...she is crazy, she just made up her mind right there and came to visit me for a weekend, which was cold and rainy but we enjoyed it anyways.

today is my first day off after 2 days of work. Great start. Yes, I got a new job… I am a barista (soon certified.. haha) at the Starbucks in the Ocean Terminal, the one many of you are familiar with. Men, I never knew that to be a barista in a cafè takes so much paper work, tests and studies, probably it’s the American way of doing things… I don’t know…

Flavio is working part time as a cook for a Christian org, named Bethany Christian Trust, and although he enjoys that job quite much, he’d probably prefer a full time position. So he is looking for something else, either part time to complement the job he already has, or a full time one which will force him to leave the current job, but… yeah, that’s life.

in our spare time we decided to enhance our hobbies and future dreams with some more studies and we both started a course called ‘working with our environment: technologies for a sustainable future’. It’s a very interesting course although we need to polish off (or discover in our inner nature) some scientific and technological skills. But it will be worth it as that will count toward a BA/BS in International Studies.
what else to say?
today is Valentine day and it is probably the best one of my whole life. Not that I got any special present. It is just that it is the first one in my life that I spend with the person I love. Last year, i was still onboard, and I can’t even remember of it.
Flavio is such a great guy, and the more I get to know him, the more I love him. I’m convinced all the more we are the perfect match.

The Start

the cause: catania line upthe consequence:

it started in Sept. 2006, and it is really exciting!

You might have already come across to this sentence but ....

'it really was the most beautiful day of my life!' It was really nice to celebrate this fantastic day with our family and friends, and we would like to thank again all those who came from afar to honour us.

and many more...

after that, we went for a wonderful and romantic honey moon in the Maldives...

a true blessing from God!

and from here... off we go...